The Huntsman - Redux
by PhoenixRising521
Summary: Re-imagined with Emma as the Huntsman, not Graham. Lovely Swan Queen situations lie within.


Disclaimer: I suppose I own the idea? Everything else, nope. I do, however, own the pen I wrote it with. So, take that OUaT!

A/N: This was my secret santa gift on the Swan Queen boards. It is now being released for public consumption. Enjoy!

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The Huntsman - Redux

Emma Swan made her way out of the restroom at Granny's. She had stopped in for a few drinks before heading to the apartment she shared with Mary Margaret. Exiting, she saw the one person she was trying to avoid.

"Graham," she said in passing, staying on course with reaching the exit.

Graham noticed the lack of eye contact and felt his ire rise. Tossing some money on the counter, he turned to follow. When she heard the door behind her open and close again, Emma tensed. She stood still on the sidewalk, readying herself for what was to come.

"Deputy, a moment, please."

Turning around, Emma forced her eyes to focus on the man in front of her.

"Yes, Sheriff?"

"Don't you think we need to talk about what happened last week?"

"My rooftop acrobatics? Nah, I was just practicing for when the circus comes to town."

"Emma," he starts, already feeling exasperated. "Listen, if you want to, you know...whatever with the Mayor, then more power to you. Just be careful. You deserve more than that."

"I know," she sighs. "I want more but you know how she is."

"Take a chance. Tell her."

"Hah! I'm sure that conversation will go over well. Hell, she won't even kiss me on the mouth let alone go out for a picnic." At his cringe, she adds, "Sorry, too much info."

"I get it. I do. It's better to have something than to have nothing at all. Look, it's getting late. Take the morning off. I'll see you in the afternoon."

"Yeah. Goodnight. And, uh, thanks for listening."

"Anytime."

Emma makes her way to her car with heavy thoughts. She starts to reach for her keys and stops. Making a decision, she turns and heads in the direction of the Mayor's mansion.

The walk over didn't do anything to clear her mind. Knocking on the door, she waits for the other woman to answer. When the door opens, Emma starts to lose her nerve. Is it worth it? Trying for more when you had every chance of losing everything.

Regina must sense something is amiss because she's the first to break the awkward silence. "Deputy Swan. What can I do for you at this hour?"

Decision made, Emma trudges onward. "I want more, Regina."

"Emma, what..."

Regina doesn't get to finish her sentence before lips crash into hers. Emma's hands come to cup each side of her face. She tries to focus on pouring all of her emotions into this one kiss. But, there's a tingling sensation between their lips and an incessant buzzing in her head. She gasps and pulls back just enough to look into Regina's eyes as another world flashes into her head.

_Flanked by a guard on each side, Emma finds herself being led to the Queen._

"_Leave us," she hears from the woman in front of her._

_She takes notice that the two men hesitate only briefly before taking their leave. The Queen comes to stand in front of her before slowly making her way around. She stops to stand behind Emma and leans in close to her ear._

"_My dear Huntsman," she whispers seductively before coming around to once again stand in front of the woman._

"_Your Majesty," Emma growls. The Queen seemed to always wear something that oozed with sexuality and today was no different. She took in the other woman's dress: a deep red that hugged all the delicious curves, accented at the waist and breasts with a black, lacy design. She could feel herself becoming more turned on by the second. "What services does the Queen require of me this time?"_

"_While my chambers are decidedly cold as of late, I have a special request of you. You've proved your worth many times over. I find myself needing someone...trustworthy...for a special task."_

_Emma knows that people thought her to be heartless. The truth was quite the opposite. While she had started her service to the Queen with an assassination in exchange for outlawing the killing of wolves, her most loyal companions, she had found so much more with this woman. In those moments when she was alone with the Queen, bedchamber or not, she found the solace she had always wanted. Though the other woman would never admit it, Emma knew she had seen something in those magnificent brown eyes. Some sort of connection. Being a huntsman, she was not a very popular person. Now, being known as one in service to the Queen, she found she was not only feared, but completely untouchable._

"_Your Majesty knows that I am a loyal subject."_

"_Good," she purred. "I have a problem that I need you to take care of. I need you to kill Snow White."_

Images continue to flash through Emma's mind. She sees her other self chasing Snow White, intent on killing her and then deciding to let her go after reading that note. The next set of images show the Evil Queen storming towards her with eyes on fire.

"_What have you done?! A stag heart?"_

_The doors to the chamber of hearts close behind Emma. She backs up to the doors, hoping to gain any sort of ground between the woman she just betrayed. _

"_I trusted you. Do you not realize what that meant for me?"_

_Emma sees disgust and utter disappointment in the other woman's eyes. It's almost more than she can bear, but she doesn't let her eyes waver. She decides to brave the storm that is to come her way._

_The Evil Queen walks over to the Huntsman and places her hand over her heart. "If I can't have her heart, then I shall take yours."_

_Both women watch the hand disappear into Emma's chest. Emma finds the feeling isn't all to unpleasant, merely odd. She notices the other woman hesitates and stops, with her hand resting over the beating organ. Emma reaches up with her own hand and covers the Queen's._

"_You already have mine, or have you not figured that out by now?"_

_The other woman's eyes snap up to meet Emma's. There are tears running down her face by now. Emma sees confusion flicker quickly to a dawning of knowing what those words mean._

"_No," the Queen mutters. "No!" She takes a step back, removing her hand, sans heart. "You can't."_

_The doors fly open and the guards are called to their Queen. "Take her to my bedchambers. You will be my pet, nothing more."_

Emma returns to herself and takes a step away from Regina. "My God. It's all true, isn't it? Everything your son has been saying is true? You're the Evil Queen and we're all fairytale characters?"

Hanging her head briefly, Regina knows that the time for the curse to break has come. She raises her head defiantly. "Yes, it's all true."

"But, how? I have memories of living in Boston. I came here looking for a mark, had too much to drink at Granny's and crashed into the sign. I remember seeing your face for the first time and, I don't know, something clicked. I had to stay. I'm sure, at first, it was only to piss you off, but still."

"All memories I implanted when enacting the curse. Do you remember when the clock started ticking? That's when everyone started to become cognizant. Before that, we all just lived as normal as you could call it."

"I need a drink," Emma said, walking to the study.

Regina waited a few moments before following. Entering the study, she finds Emma standing at the fireplace, glass resting on the mantle.

"So, even though you didn't take my heart, you still got to keep me as your pet?"

"This was all done for my chance at a happy ending. So, yes, I kept you. Call me a fool, but even after you betrayed me..."

Turning her blazing eyes on Regina, Emma countered, "_I_ betrayed _you_? Really, that's what you're going with? Not how you betrayed everyone, including me?"

"I trusted you! And, yes, you betrayed me when you set..._her_ free. So, yes, I took what I wanted. At some point, you also wanted me."

"You're right. But, something changed in the time I was 'in service' to you. I also saw that change in your eyes in moments when it was just the two of us."

"Emma, I don't know if I can give you more. I don't know if there's enough left in me for what you want."

Emma stepped closer, lightly taking one of Regina's hands. She lifted it and placed it over her heart. "Tell me one thing. Why didn't you take it when you had the chance? What happened then?"

Regina couldn't take her eyes off of where her hand rested. All those emotions of that day that she had buried were coming rushing back. The flood was almost more than she could handle. "Besides my father, you were the one person I had come to trust. I saw you actually let your guard down. No one did that. Everyone feared me or wanted me for their own schemes. But you...you came willingly."

She paused, catching her breath at having to relive that event again. Looking into Emma's eyes, she continued. "When I reached inside, I felt it. I thought it had died when my mother killed Daniel, but, there it was. Right on the tips of my fingers. I had already planned for the curse and couldn't allow myself to deviate from those plans."

"What did you feel? I need to know. Please."

"True love. I felt _our_ true love, Emma."

Reaching behind to pull the other woman's lips to hers, Emma stopped a breath away to whisper, "I did, too, love."

This time, the kiss was still passionate yet gentle. They felt it at that moment. The strongest power known to all the worlds. The power that could end any curse. They held onto each other as a powerful wave erupted from between them. Opening their eyes, they took in their surroundings. They were back where it had all started. Fairytale Land. More importantly, Regina's castle. Both women grinned at each other, taking in everything.

"We're back," Regina spoke first. Walking over to the window, she looked out to see their world, as if the curse hadn't been cast.  
Emma walked over to join her, looking at the other woman in wonder. She turned Regina to her. "I do love you, Regina. But...we have a lot to discuss."

Her eyes took on a look of fear and trepidation. "Yes, I suppose we do."

Placing her hands on Regina's face, Emma leaned in, "Maybe after a picnic?"


End file.
